Mezoti's Collective
by Six of Twelve
Summary: An AU story where Mezoti decides to remain on Voyager when Azan and Rebi leave the ship in "Imperfection".
_**Author's Note: I've always thought that Mezoti leaving Voyager with Azan and Rebi to live on their planet in "Imperfection" made no sense. In "Child's Play", she told Seven of Nine that she hoped her parents would never be found and that she considered Voyager to be her home. So, it makes no sense that she would suddenly change her mind to go live on a unfamiliar planet with strangers, rather than remain on Voyager. I understand that she, along with Azan and Rebi, were probably written out of the show because there were no more story lines for them and that they didn't want to keep paying the actors, but fan fiction has no such constraints. This one-shot is how I imagine things would have actually happened in "Imperfection", more congruent with Mezoti's actions in "Child's Play".**_

 _ **=/\= =/\= =/\=**_

"Captain to Seven of Nine. Report to my ready room."

Seven of Nine looked up from the routine work she was doing in Astrometrics and tapped her combadge. "Acknowledged." Turning to Icheb, who was working at another station, she said, "I shouldn't be too long. Continue with your work."

"Understood."

Moments later, the former Borg drone entered Kathryn Janeway's private sanctum.

She stopped before the Captain's desk, hands clasped behind her back.

Looking up from her computer, with a tall mug of coffee in one hand, Janeway indicated the sofa with her free hand. "Please, sit down. I have some important news."

After Seven had complied and was sitting stiffly, back straight, on the edge of the sofa, she continued, "We've located Azan's and Rebi's parents on the Wysanti homeworld." After taking a sip of coffee, she added, "We're already on the way to meet them."

Seven of Nine frowned, thinking of the disaster that nearly happened when they'd located Icheb's parents. She was no more eager to let the twin boys go than she'd been to lose Icheb. She considered all the Borg children as part of her own small Collective. They'd all had the same experiences and understood one another in ways that no one else aboard Voyager could, however supportive they might be.

"I know what you're thinking, Seven," Janeway said, noting the other woman's frown, more pronounced than usual. "But the Wysanti homeworld isn't near any transwarp conduits, nor were the boys on their homeworld when they were assimilated. And, of course, they are only twelve, so if their parents are competent and responsible, they have no choice but to go with them."

"Understood, Captain," Seven replied with reluctance. "But I will still miss their presence after they are gone."

"They've also volunteered to take Mezoti as well, and raise her as if she were their own," Janeway informed her. "As you know, we've not had any luck in locating any of her people."

Rising quickly from the sofa, Seven said, "Mezoti _must_ be given a choice in the matter. I recall that she was very upset the night we'd left Icheb with his parents, to the point of being unable to regenerate. She told me then that she hoped that we'd never find her parents, as she considered Voyager home now." After a pause, she added, "It was also Mezoti who informed me as to how Icheb was actually assimilated and enabled us to save him."

"I'll give her a choice," the Captain said, her voice brittle. "I suggest you go find Azan and Rebi now and tell them the news privately before you mention anything to Mezoti."

"Understood." Seven of Nine turned and left the room without another word.

=/\= =/\= =/\=

Shortly before Mezoti had finished the study assignments that Seven of Nine had expected her to complete that day, Naomi Wildman came through the doors of Cargo Bay 2, where all five of the former Borg drones shared quarters. The baby, the sixth ex-Borg, was still mostly being cared for in sickbay, with Neelix and Naomi's mother pitching in.

Looking up briefly from her work, she said, "I won't be too much longer with my work." Indicating a data pad on the computer console, she added, "I downloaded the files about Borg species designations you asked for. You can spend a few minutes reading that while I finish up."

"All right," Naomi said, picking up the pad. She sat down on a step leading to one of the regeneration alcoves and began to read, as Mezoti returned to her assignment.

A short time later, Mezoti set aside her completed assignment to sit down on the step leading the alcove next to the one Naomi was on. "Now, I'm ready to spend time with you."

Holding up the data pad, Naomi said, "Wow, the Borg sure have assimilated a lot of different species."

"That is true, but the Borg have been around for a long time," Mezoti observed. "And numbering each species, in order of first contact and assimilation, is an efficient way to remember them all."

"True," Naomi agreed. Thinking for a moment, she asked, "Did you ever have a designation like Seven of Nine? I don't remember you ever mentioning one."

"Seven of Nine doesn't seem to want me and the others to talk much about our time as Borg with the Voyager crew for some reason," Mezoti told her.

"I know," Naomi said, sighing, "She has told me not to use Borg phrases and species designations before. I don't understand why. The Borg are fascinating and I want to learn as much as I can about them, just like any other species we encounter."

"She is not so strict when she is alone with me, Icheb, Azan, and Rebi," Mezoti confided. "We all know what it is to be Borg, and we're like a mini-Collective of our own. Perhaps she thinks those from Voyager would have insufficient understanding."

"So, you won't tell me what your designation was?" Naomi said, disappointed.

"I didn't say that," Mezoti told her. "But you have to promise not to talk about Borg stuff I tell you in front of Seven."

"Agreed."

"Because we'd been in maturation chambers, we'd not yet been given formal, permanent designations by the larger Collective," Mezoti said. "But after the five of us were prematurely released, I was Five of Six, or sometimes just Five, as the First preferred. But I preferred Five of Six, because it was more like a designation I would have been given, had the others in our cube survived."

"Who is Six of Six?" Naomi asked. "There are only four of you and you told me the First died before the rest of you came aboard Voyager."

"It's the baby," she said. "She still hasn't been given a name, so I think of her as Six."

"Can I call you Five of Six, or just Five, sometimes?" Naomi asked.

"That would be acceptable, but only when we're alone," Mezoti answered. "In fact, I would prefer it. I didn't even know my original name was Mezoti, until Seven of Nine had gone through our assimilation records. I like the name Mezoti, but it doesn't quite feel like it's mine, just as Seven does not identify with Annika Hansen."

"They shouldn't object to you being called Five of Six," Naomi pointed out. "After all, choice is a part of acquiring individuality."

"I think they have different rules for children, than adults," Mezoti reasoned. "In any instance, I can make the choice to resume being called Five of Six when I grow up, if I choose."

"True," Naomi said. "But, for now, I will called you Five of Six when we're alone." After a pause, she added, "I'm so glad that you and the others came aboard Voyager, especially you, as you're a girl and closest to my age. It was pretty lonely being a kid on Voyager before then."

"I'm glad to be here, too," Mezoti agreed. "The cube was empty and lonely without all the others, with just five of us functioning. And we'd have lost Six if Voyager hadn't rescued us."

"I hope we get to grow up together here on Voyager," Naomi said.

"Me, too," Mezoti replied. "I hope they never find my parents. I told Seven that after they found Icheb's parents."

At that moment, the doors to Cargo Bay 2 hissed open and Seven of Nine entered. Regarding Naomi impassively, she said, "Naomi Wildman, you will return to your quarters now. I have something private to discuss with Mezoti."

Rising immediately to comply, Naomi told Mezoti, "I'll see you later."

Mezoti joined Seven of Nine at the computer console as soon as the other girl had left, waiting silently for Seven to continue.

Satisfied that she'd gained the girl's attention, Seven said, "The Voyager crew has located Azan and Rebi's parents and we are currently heading to the Wysanti homeworld to meet with them."

"I don't want them to go!" Mezoti declared. "Look what happened when we left Icheb with his parents!"

"I understand," Seven of Nine said. "I don't want them to go, either. But they are not near maturity like Icheb is, so they don't really have any choice but to go with their parents." After a pause, she added, "But their planet is not near any transwarp conduits, nor were they assimilated from their home world, so they should be safer there than Icheb was on his planet."

"But they are part of our Collective," Mezoti persisted. "His parents don't understand what it is like to be Borg like we do."

"I agree," Seven told her. "But there is nothing we can do." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "And their parents have offered to take you as well, and raise you as their own."

"I don't want to go," Mezoti said firmly. "Do you remember when I told you that I hoped my parents would never be found?"

"I remember."

"I haven't changed by mind about that," Mezoti said. "I don't remember my parents or my homeworld or being assimilated. I didn't even remember my name until you told me. I don't know anything about the Wysanti or living on a planet, either."

Now pacing, she said, "I appreciate their offer, but I want to stay here. I can only remember living on the cube and Voyager. It was hard enough leaving the Collective, but I at least have part of my small collective here. It's like a smaller version of the planet Commander Chakotay was on with the ex-drones living in their own Collective."

"Similar in some ways, yes," Seven of Nine agreed. "But there were far more of them and they decided to return to linking their minds to preserve harmony and order."

The ex-drone closed her eyes to imagine such a Collective and wished she could at least visit this planet. But, for now, she was satisfied with her small collective on board Voyager. After a moment, she belatedly added, "And they called their Collective a Cooperative, because their link was voluntary."

"I wish I could have seen that planet," Mezoti said, echoing Seven's thoughts. "But I have you and Icheb, who know how it is to leave the Borg. Plus Baby Six, even though she won't remember being Borg. And Naomi, who is my friend - and the rest of the Voyager crew. I will miss Azan and Rebi, but I don't want to have to give up what I have here and have to start all over again for a second time. Voyager is my home now."

"You are not required to go," Seven of Nine told her, trying not to smile. "I told Captain Janeway that you would most likely wish to remain aboard Voyager, so she gave you the choice of whether to go or stay." In a gentler tone of voice, she added, "I am glad you have chosen to stay. As you said, we are our own collective here."

"When little Six gets older, we will be four," Mezoti reminded her.

"Correct," the older ex-drone said. "But I suspect she will soon have a name, though we can continue to call her Six among ourselves."

"Maybe we'll get to help name her." Mezoti said. "Naomi and I will try to think of something."

"Perhaps."

"Where are Azan and Rebi now?" the young girl asked. "Have you told them yet?"

"They are with Icheb in Astrometrics,"Seven said. "I told them first before coming here to tell you. They wish to stay, but undertand they must go. We will not arrive on their home world for several more days, so you will have time to say goodbye."

Looking down at the still glum expression on Mezoti's face, Seven told her, "We will miss them, but we will adapt."

=/\= =/\= =/\=

Four days later, several hours after saying goodbye to Azan and Rebi in the transporter room, promising to send them messages as long as Voyarger was within range, Mezoti and Icheb headed down to Cargo Bay 2, with Naomi trailing behind them. The group had first stopped in sickbay to visit with Baby Six, to reassure themselves that there was still another in their small collective. The doctor told them that she'd soon be able to join them in Cargo Bay 2 in her own regeneration unit, which would be adapted from her incubator.

"I miss them already," Naomi said, as she flopped down to sit on the step to one of the alcoves.

"Me, too," Mezoti agreed. "it won't be the same without them."

"We will adapt," Icheb said firmly, looking at both girls. "But, yes, we will miss them."

"Why don't we play kadis-kot to get our minds off things," Naomi suggested.

"Good idea," Icheb said. He went to get the game pieces that Naomi had replicated for the Borg children, soon after they'd arrived on Voyager.

The three young people played in a desultory fashion; the game not quite serving its intended purpose of distraction.

A short time later, Seven of Nine returned to Cargo Bay 2, having been in Astrometrics alone to deal with her feelings after saying goodbye to the two boys. Now, deeming herself as sufficiently adapted to their departure to face the other ex-drones, she strode purposefully into the room.

"It is time to regenerate," she announced. Turning to Naomi, she continued. "That includes you as well, Naomi Wildman. Return to your quarters."

After the girl had complied, Seven turned to the two remaining ex-Borg children. "Into your alcoves. Tomorrow will be a busy day of study."

For once, Icheb did not protest that he was old enough to decide when he would regenerate and Mezoti was comforted by the familiar routine, despite two alcoves remaining empty.

Seven of Nine watched them as they took their places and heard the click as their regeneration cycles began. "Sweet dreams," she said quietly, before joining them in her own alcove. They all were missing the two boys, but they would adapt. They were Borg.


End file.
